Decomposition of Fe5C2 catalyst particles in carbon nanofibers during TEM observation

• Main Author: Vladimir D Blank, Boris A Kulnitskiy, Igor A Perezhogin, Yuriy L Alshevskiy and Nikita V Kazennov
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2009-01-01
• Series: Science and Technology of Advanced Materials
• Subjects: carbon nanofiber; HRTEM; iron carbide; electron beam
• Online Access: http://www.iop.org/EJ/abstract/1468-6996/10/1/015004

The effect of an electron beam on nanoparticles of two Fe carbide catalysts inside a carbon nanofiber was investigated in a transmission electron microscope. Electron beam exposure does not result in significant changes for cementite (θ-Fe3C). However, for Hägg carbide nanoparticles (χ-Fe5C2), explosive decay is observed after exposure for 5–10 s. This produces small particles of cementite and γ-Fe, each covered with a multilayer carbon shell, and significantly modifies the carbon-fiber structure. It is considered that the decomposition of Hägg carbide is mostly due to the damage induced by high-energy electron collisions with the crystal lattice, accompanied by the heating of the particle and by mechanical stress provided by the carbon layers of the nanofiber.